Liam McHale has flatly denied suggestions that he was set to be part of Peter Leahy's proposed backroom team with the Westmeath footballers.

Leahy's name was put forward for ratification by the selection committee at last night's county board meeting, but delegates voted 24-19 against his appointment. It was explained to the floor that Leahy would have McHale as his coach and Tommy Kelly (The Downs) and Micheal Reynolds (Castletown-Finea/Coole/Whitehall) as his selectors.

But it has since emerged that McHale hadn't agreed to come on board when he met Leahy in Athlone yesterday, telling the managerial hopeful that he would need time to think about it.

The former Mayo star - who is involved with the St. Brigid's team that will seek a five-in-a-row of Roscommon SFC titles against St. Faithleach's on Sunday week - revealed to the Westmeath Independent that Lake County chairman Sean Sheridan had apologised to him this morning.

"I nearly crashed the car when I heard my name mentioned on the radio when it was reported that Peter was rejected for the Westmeath position," McHale explained.

"I was coming back from training with St Brigid's when Brian Carthy came on the radio at around 11 o'clock. I couldn't believe it when I heard my name read out in connection with the Westmeath set-up.

"I met Peter yesterday (Wednesday) and I said I'd think it over for a few days. I had spoken to him a couple of times on the phone before that - just casual talk, trying to organise a meeting. But when I met him, I never said I was coming on board."

He added: "I spoke to Sean Sheridan this morning. He told me that he was 100 per cent sure I was coming on board before going into the county board meeting last night, but that wasn't the case.

"Sean was very apologetic and I was pleased with his response this morning. I've never met Sean but he seems like a very nice, genuine man."

Meanwhile, St. Brigid's goalkeeper Shane Curran was unhappy that McHale's name was used without his permission.

It's is very important the great reputation of #liammchale as a super coach is not undermined by such gross misconduct of a candidate

- Shane Curran (@shanetcurran) October 9, 2014

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